Title and Description

Ask, Seek, Knock, Pray & Watch

Jesus teaches that we have a key role in our own faith-building.  We must ask.  In faith.  We do not have because we do not ask; we do not find because do not seek.   Faith-doors are not opened because we have not knocked.    When we ask, seek, and knock in prayer, then watch!

• On the Value of Asking:  Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9;

Fear Not

Faith and fear are related.   Jesus teaches fear is a choice, and so is faith.

• Fear is an outward measure of inward faith.  John 12:42

• Jesus keeps it simple:  do not fear.  Matthew 14, Mark 6

See, Hear, Take, Learn & Understand

Evidence is valuable to those who see it or hear it only if they take, learn, and understand it.    The responsibility is ours to process the evidence, to understand it.    Matthew 13:13

• Seeing and hearing:  part of the whole.  Mark 16, Luke 24
• Learning and Understanding:  the rest of the story.  John 6

Do NOT Seek Signs!

Jesus teaches clearly to avoid seeking signs and to avoid those who do.  While having the appearance of being open-minded and smart, the truth is sign-seekers are arrogant and unpleasing to God.

• What kind of people are sign-seekers?  Matthew 12, Luke 11
• God's gift of signs.  Matthew 16

Consider the lilies; Consider the alternatives   Thinking about the evidence provided to us is part of what we must do to increase our faith.   Jesus gives his disciples some things to think about.

• God's gift of evidence for your faith. Luke 12:27,
• Thinking deeply about your faith. John 6:68

Beware of Hypocrisy: 

Hypocrisy is pretending to have great faith while having little.  Jesus warns against all forms of faith boasting.  We are to seek the glory that comes from God, not from one another.

• Teachings on faith-hypocrisy. Mark 14, Luke 12,  John 5

Rise, Walk, Go & Tell

Jesus shows that faith increases with its exercise. Those having faith almost always have gifts of concrete things to do that would increase our faith.  We are to use the faith we have been given.

• Use it or loose it. Luke 16:10
• Go and Tell    Mark 16:15  Luke 7:22

Don't be offended.

The offended heart and the hardened heart refuse to hear or see and cannot learn and understand the teachings of Jesus.

• Anyone can have a heart hardening.  Mk 16:14, John 12:41
• John 10

Rejoice & Count your Blessings

Faith increases when we open our eyes to see and think about the evidence God has already provided in abundance.  God is thinking ahead of us and calls us to look at what we have been given already.

• Count your blessings. Mark 8
• Rejoice John Luke 10:17-24

Seek, Enter & Abide

God's gift of the Kingdom is a gift that must be sought.  Jesus teaches that those who seek to follow him, who enter into relationship with him and abide in his teachings, are those who have faith.  

• One goal, many distractions.  Luke 12
• Seek Jesus!   John 5,11,14

Eat & Remember

There are so many episodes in the gospels where, while eating, eyes were opened, and faith strengthened.  We look at a sequence of these and examine in some detail the key teaching of the capstone supper of them all.

• Take and Eat;  Luke 24:42
• Do this in rememberance of me.   Matthew 26, Luke 22:19

Receive the Holy Spirit

Believers are plainly instructed to receive the Holy Spirit.  Why this instruction?    Because it is, in part, instruction on increasing your faith.  People who receive the Spirit are described as having rivers of  "...living water that flows out of the heart..."  and brings others to faith.  John 7, 20

• He gave her water -- but it was not from the well. John 4
• A life of receiving the Spirit. -- Jesus.

Memorial Day Weekend - TBD